by Nubia | Comments Off on How effective is massage at pain control and pain management? | Filed in Pain Control

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of different pain control and pain management options available on the market today, some of them capable of modern miracles and some of them little more than modern-day snake oil.

Sifting through all of the different options can be a real nightmare, especially if you aren’t sure of exactly what you need to be on the lookout for. Some solutions are going to promise you the moon and the stars, while others are going to paint a more realistic portrait, it’ll be up to you to decide what you use for pain control going forward.

Massage has always been touted as a pain control option (as well as providing a number of other big benefits), so if you’re wondering whether or not it can “cut the mustard” and deliver the goods you want, continue reading on.

Regular massages are one of the best pain control options

It’s hard to beat a weekly massage to wash away all of the pain, the stress, and the pressure that you were feeling.

We live in the middle of the most complex and fast-moving time in human history, and it’s only natural that we are going to feel like things are spiraling out of control every now and again. This can physically manifest in the form of pain all over the body, which is why you’re going to want to make sure that you jump out ahead of things and protect yourself with regular massage as best you can.

Getting your hands on a foam roller can be the smartest investment you’ve ever made

Of course, if you aren’t able to swing the kind of budget that weekly or biweekly massages command (and there are more than a few of us that struggle to make this happen, that’s for sure), you’re going to want to get your hands on a foam roller.

Essentially a professional massage in a box, this pain control approach beats out pain pills by a wide margin – especially if you’re only dealing with nagging injuries or chronic pain that isn’t quite as acute or as debilitating as others might be fighting off.

If the pain continues to fight through your attempts to resolve it, don’t be shy about asking for pain pills from a qualified medical professional

Lastly, you need to know that you always have the option to ask a medical professional for pain pills if your condition worsens or if you feel like you just can’t great it out anymore. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of the pain pills that a professional can offer you, especially if it’s the only way to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle again.

by Nubia | Comments Off on The truth about effective pain management | Filed in Pain Control

Millions of people (hundreds of millions of people, maybe) all over the world are living with varying levels of pain on a day to day basis.

Some of them are fighting off minor aches, creaks, and irritations brought on by a handful of almost nonexistent conditions, while others are literally in a fight for their lives dealing with significant and chronic pain that just won’t go away. And of course others still find themselves somewhere in between those two extremes.

The point is there are more people living in pain today than at any point in human history, which is why modern medicine is so serious about effective pain management (even if it means the use of prescription painkillers which may have opened up a whole bundle of the issues all on their own). We are getting better and better at effective and efficient pain management, but there’s always room to grow and always room to get better.

If you are dealing with a bit of pain and want to be sure that you are taking advantage of an effective pain management plan or protocol, you are going to want to read the details we’ve included in this quick guide. They may open your eyes to exactly what constitutes an effective pain management protocol, and may even tell you whether or not you should be taking painkillers in the first place.

Shall we begin?

Let’s get to it.

A proper diagnosis is absolutely everything when it comes to effective pain management

Of all the different things that contribute directly to whether or not you are receiving effective pain management solutions, a proper diagnosis is by far the most important.

Without a proper diagnosis (from a licensed, experienced, and trusted medical professional at that) you’re never going to know exactly what you’re dealing with – and if you do not know that, you’ll never know how to treat it eliminate the problems that are causing you pain in the first place.

Too terribly many people (medical professionals alike) seem to want to ignore this step completely and jump right to prescribing painkillers to kill off the symptoms without positively impacting the underlying issues themselves, and that’s just the wrong way to go about it.

Eventually painkillers aren’t going to be effective at managing pain whatsoever, and before you know it you have to take twice or three times the amount to receive pain management results – and that’s another dangerous situation that you never want to have to find yourself in.

No, what you need to do is make sure that you have been properly diagnosed so that your medical expert can treat the underlying conditions that you’re dealing with as well as the symptoms of pain that you’re fighting, giving you the results that you are looking for along the way.

Use a pain management plan designed for your specific condition

It is also critically important that you leverage a pain management plan that has been designed for your specific situation, your specific condition, and the kind of pain that you are dealing with in the first place.

Even after receiving a proper diagnosis, a number of medical experts all over the world may want to immediately begin pushing painkillers on you to “wash away” the symptoms without actually addressing the underlying cause of the problem in the first place.

As mentioned above, this is the real way to go about getting results.

You need a medical expert that is going to determine whether or not your pain is acute, chronic, consistent, or radiating, and then someone that is going to dig deep into your medical history and your current condition to find out exactly what is going on in the first place.

Then (and only then) will you be able to confidently move forward with whatever pain management plan they prescribe, knowing full well that you aren’t going to just be getting rid of the pain and the symptoms but that you’re also finally resolving whatever other issues are bubbling under the surface.

Pain management experts definitely know how to move through these different stages without any extra effort on your behalf, so make sure that you’re leveraging their services whenever you get the opportunity to do so.

by Nubia | Comments Off on Long-Term Pain Management | Filed in Pain Control

It can be very emotionally and physically draining to be in constant pain, all day every day. Our addiction centers are filled with those who were prescribed painkillers only to end up abusing them in hopes of escaping that pain. What can patient and practitioners do in order to avoid this pass?

First of all, it is a good idea to be aware of which painkillers most often lead to dependence and addiction.

COMMONLY ABUSED PAIN MEDICINES:

The most commonly abused classes of drugs are stimulants, depressants and opiods.

Stimulants, otherwise known as ‘stims’ or ‘uppers’, can make people feel more alert and energetic. Caffeine is an example of a legal stimulant. Adderall is another example that is often abused by those for whom it was not prescribed.

Depressants are also known as tranquilizers, or sometimes CNS depressants. These include barbituates and benzodiazepines, which are some of the most abused drugs on the planet. These drugs are abused because of their relaxing effects. CNS depressants include valium and Xanax.

Opioids are like stronger depressants in many ways, producing a euphoric effect and haivng a high incidence of addiction. They are typically only used in a medical setting if the pain a patient is experiencing is very severe. Opiods include morphine, methodone, and oxycodone.

HOW DOES ADDICTION START?:

Patients typically start off taking the pill as their doctor prescribes. However, without vigilant self-monitoring, patients may instead take another pill as soon as their pain returns. Pain addiction is complicated by the fact that not every pill will work in the same way in every person. Some may have little to no issue weaning off of a pain medication, even after prolonged use. Others may have difficulty stopping after several doses. This is not necessarily a matter of willpower or virtue, but genetic propensity coupled with the intensity of the pain that the patient is experiencing at the time.

Some patients may share their pills with others who state that they are in pain, or even sell their pills if they find the pain manageable without them. They may not realize that each pill has been prescribed and dosed for their particular condition and weight, and that allowing another person to take a pill that has been prescribed to them could result in that person’s hospitalization or even death.

An addiction to prescription drugs is no safer than any other addiction. Just because the drug initially came from a physician does not make it better or more benign than the abuse of a street drug.

WHAT CAN I DO IF I HAVE BECOME ADDICTED?

There are options available to those who have become addicted to painkillers and wish to stop. Addiction centers around the world exist, and are easy to locate. They can help wean you off of the medications you once used for pain management and, in some cases, employ drugs that will help with the symptoms of withdrawal.

You might be addicted to your pain medication if:

You have found yourself accidentally running out of your pain medication earlier than the doctor said you should.

You find yourself counting down to the next dose, regardless of your pain levels

You have started interpreting your need for the drug as ‘pain’. This takes some self-awareness and self-monitoring. Are you actually waiting for pain relief, or relief from the symptoms of withdrawal?

You find yourself looking for a new doctor every time you run out of your pain pills, because you are aware that your previous doctor will not prescribe more.

There is help and hope out there! Do look up information on addiction centers in your area if you fear this may apply to you!